At one time or another, most refineries experience spontaneous ignition of iron sulphide either on the ground or inside equipment. When this occurs inside equipment like columns, vessels, and tanks and exchangers containing residual hydrocarbons and air, the results can be devastating. Most commonly, pyrophoric iron fires occur during shutdowns when equipment and piping are opened for inspection or maintenance. Instances of fires in crude columns during turnarounds, explosions in sulphur, crude or asphalt storage tanks, overpressures in vessels, etc., due to pyrophoric iron ignition are not … [Read more...]